La Perla Christmas
by starbuckjade
Summary: Maura Isles buys herself an early Christmas present. One that she wants to share with her favorite detective.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: This was written for the RGB's First Fanfiction Challenge. Just made the deadline with two words to spare and a few hours. Yay me. Also the next chapter of Keys to the Kingdom is coming soon I promise, along with an exciting announcement about what the heck I've been doing for the last month. Enjoy!**

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"Isn't it a little early to be getting presents?" Jane asked, surprised to see the blonde Medical Examiner signing off on a large package as she stepped inside the morgue and made her way over.

Maura's bright eyes caught hers. "It's actually a Christmas present to myself." She put the large silver dress box on her desk but didn't offer to show Jane what was inside.

Jane's eyes were drawn to the box and the raised scrolled lettering on the top of it that proclaimed, "La Perla". The detective had never heard of the brand name but she assumed due to the size of the box it was some sort of designer outfit. Perhaps something festively colored for the holidays.

Maura couldn't help smirking at the way the brunette's eyes lingered, she doubted her friend knew what was hidden inside but she knew the detective would figure it out soon enough. She picked up Jane's autopsy results and waved it in front of her until the brunette took notice.

Jane smiled sheepishly, "Uh thanks." She cleared her throat awkwardly before moving towards the door, "You're still coming to the Rizzoli Family Christmas, right?"

Maura nodded, Jade had asked her several times over the last week, even though she had agreed to join her family for the holidays over a month ago. Her friend seemed nervous for some reason that the blonde was unaware of. She was nervous in her own right about the holidays; the idea of having a real family Christmas filed her with joy and anxiety in equal measures. But knowing that Jane would be there with her, made it all worthwhile. "There is no place else in the world I would rather be." She added, giving her favorite detective a winning smile.

Jane grinned at her before making a hasty retreat upstairs. She knew she had asked Maura probably a dozen times if she was coming to Christmas at her folk's house and every time the blonde medical examiner always answered yes. But she still couldn't stop asking, or giving Maura a goofy grin every time she said yes. Jane sighed as she dropped down into her desk chair, she was totally losing it.

She went back to work for a few hours, tying up loose ends and finishing as much paperwork as she could. Tonight was Christmas Eve and at 6pm she and Maura were off the clock for 4 bliss filled days of eggnog, itchy sweaters and cheesy decorations. She couldn't wait.

But by 3pm her mind started to wander, specifically to the expensive looking box sitting on her friend's desk. So she pulled up her favorite search engine and googled 'La Perla'. What came up was certainly not what she was expecting. "It's lingerie..." she muttered out loud, before quickly looking behind her to make sure that no one else had heard her. Thankfully Korsak and Frost weren't at their desks. She quickly deleted her search history and closed down the browser.

Jane decided that a coffee break was in order. She walked down to the coffee shop in the building, ordering one for herself and for Maura as well as two Christmas cupcakes. She headed back downstairs to the morgue, balancing a white pastry box and two coffees. She used her backside to push open the glass door when she couldn't see Maura right away. Jane set down her treats on the blonde's desk, surprised that the medical examiner wasn't at her post.

Her eyes were drawn to the large silver box again. Now that she knew what 'La Perla' was she couldn't stop herself from looking at exactly what Maura had purchased for herself. She knew, whatever it was, it would be expensive and exquisite looking on her friend's alabaster skin. She slowly lifted the lid of the box, unaware that Maura had slipped into the morgue unnoticed.

Maura stepped into lab, walking silently towards the brunette currently snooping through her things. The blonde had taken off her red satin pumps a few hours earlier; they were new and had begun to hurt her delicate feet. She had left them sitting on her chair as she walked barefoot to her office.

Maura watched Jane gasp as she caught sight of what she had ordered for herself for Christmas. It was a Princess Sauvage Bra with stretch tulle lace detail along the cups and straps and a tiny little bow in the centre. It even came with matching panties. But what made it perfect for the holiday season was the crimson color and the delicate embroidery of mistletoe over every inch of it. The blonde watched her friend's hand reach into the box, her fingers drifting over the silky fabric. Jane's eyes were completely transfixed by the sight of lingerie, so much so that she didn't notice Maura until she was pressed against her side, husking into the brunette's ear, "Do you like it, Jane?"

The brunette didn't startle at the blonde's unexpected appearance but simply murmured, "It's gorgeous."

Maura gazed at Jane for a few moments, taking the rare opportunity to admire her friend's beauty without the brunette being aware of it. They were strictly friends in a very platonic sense. But the medical examiner had realized months ago that she didn't just love Jane Rizzoli, she was in love with her. She had never classified herself as bi-sexual or even gay and she had never had sexual relations with another woman before. But she was ready to try with Jane.

She longed to tell the detective that she had thought of her when she purchased the sexy lingerie online. Maura had imagined wearing the lingerie in front of Jane and having the brunette slowly strip it off her while kissing every inch of skin the mistletoe fabric had covered.

She often fantasized about the striking detective. She imagined what Jane tasted like, what it would feel like to press her naked body against the brunette's and what Jane would sound like when she moaned her name in ecstasy.

Maura had also suspected in the last few weeks that her friend might be harboring feelings for her as well. Yet as much as she wanted to take their relationship far beyond the boundaries of friendship, she wasn't ready to risk the single greatest thing in her life. Instead she waited patiently for a sign or for Jane to make the first move.

Of course that didn't mean she couldn't tease her friend or give her pushes in the right direction.

Jane finally pulled her eyes from Maura's expensive lingerie to the woman herself. They stared into each other's eyes for long moments until Jane put the lid back on the box and pulled away. "So you uh have a hot date over the Christmas break?" the brunette forced out, she hated to ask because she knew she wouldn't like the answer.

Maura carefully picked up the box and set it down on the floor, before taking its place sitting on her desk. "The only person I plan to spend any time with over the holidays is you, Jane." She answered calmly while crossing her legs. She felt Jane's hungrily gaze on her thighs, specifically where her dress had ridden up significantly.

Jane turned suddenly back to the desk and silently handed her a coffee. "I'm glad you're going to spend, Christmas with me. I would have invited you last year if I had known you spent the holidays all alone." Jane explained, while taking a sip of her coffee. It was bitter but just shy of intolerable.

Maura peeked at the unfamiliar white box on her desk. 'Cupcakes', she swooned inwardly. Just the type of treat she loved to indulge in. Jane could be incredibly sweet and thoughtful when she wanted to be. She slipped one out of the box and licked green icing off her finger tip. "Bass was with me." The blonde responded, adding "I find it rather exhilarating that this will be our first Christmas together."

Jane sat down on the desk directly beside her friend, their bodies touching from their hips to their shoulders. She let the comforting feeling of Maura's warmth seep into her as she reached for her own cupcake. "It's the first Rizzisles Christmas." She suggested with a grin on her face.

Maura wrinkled her nose, "That sounds ridiculous, Jane."

The brunette bit into her chocolate cupcake, smearing green icing along her lips. She chewed thoughtfully for a moment, "The first La Perla Christmas." She offered.

Maura used the pad of her thumb to slowly wipe the icing from Jane's lips, "That one has merit." She replied with a smile.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Exciting news! La Perla Christmas tied for first place in the RGB Fanfiction Challenge. Woo hoo! Congrats to my fellow winners: cleo2584 & future_imp47. Thank you to everyone who voted, you guys rock. ****I promised myself that I would write another chapter if I won and here it is. ****And on with the show...**  


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Jane and Maura went their separate ways after their shift was over, each agreeing to meet at the Rizzoli family household at 7pm. Angela Rizzoli was cooking a holiday meal the likes of which hadn't been seen in years. Frankie, who was still considered a rookie, was forced to work over the Christmas holidays, which left Christmas Eve as the only night the entire family could get together. In any traditional Italian family Christmas Eve dinner celebrated 'The Feast of Seven Fishes'.

Jane in particular was not looking forward to the actual dinner itself. She was a fan of seafood, mainly shrimp, lobster and crab, but she wasn't relishing the idea of plate after plate of fish dishes she was no doubt in store for. Although her mother had promised to whip up a few entries without gills, Jane wasn't holding her breath. She just hoped that Maura would enjoy it.

Food wasn't her primary concern though. Finding a Christmas gift for Maura had been ridiculously difficult and she still wasn't sure whether her favourite medical examiner would appreciate it or not. Then there was the other gift, the one that she longed to slip onto the blonde's finger. The little black velvet box had been burning a hole in her pocket for weeks and she still hadn't found the perfect moment to give it to her. Jane had hoped that tonight was the night.

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Seven o'clock arrived at the Rizzoli household: Maura was early and predictably Jane was late. The brunette detective shrugged off her thick coat, her eyes searching for Maura in the crowd of her family members. Her mother had taken the opportunity to invite a few of her aunts and uncles as well as a pile of cousins to dinner; the feast of seven fishes was a rare event after all.

The blonde was standing in the doorway to the living room, holding a glass of wine and looking like the most gorgeous wallflower Jane had ever seen. Her friend had changed into a very soft looking cream colored sweater, a brown suede skirt and a pair of elegant caramel colored boots. The soft flickering lights of the Christmas tree giving her an ethereal glow: she was luminous and Jane could barely tear her eyes away.

Jane's mind drifted as she hung up her coat in the hall closet. She wondered if Maura had changed into her fancy holiday lingerie. The idea of it was making her heart race a little, which was not helping anything. Her palms were already sweating; she was late because she had spent a little too long pacing as she worried about giving the blonde her Christmas gift. Because the little box in her pocket wasn't a present for her best friend, it was a gift for the woman she had fallen in love with and that little distinction was making her incredibly nervous.

She caught sight of Frankie's most charming grin as he walked past her towards her favorite person in the world. Jane realized all of a sudden what that look meant, Frankie had noticed that Maura was standing under a sprig of mistletoe.

She sprinted two steps, grabbing her brother from the back of the neck and steering him away. Frankie turned enough to catch sight of her. "What the hell?"

Jane stood in front of her brother, keeping herself between him and Maura. "No one is kissing Maura but..." she trailed off before uttering the word, 'me'.

Frankie looked at his older sister appraisingly, his eyes widened slightly as he realized exactly what his sister meant. "Really?" he answered her glare with a goofy grin. "Go get her, Janie." he quickly reversed their positions and gave her a friendly shove.

Jane felt Maura's eyes track her as she crossed the room. "Hey." she murmured softly, as she leaned against the door frame, barely a foot from her friend. Her keen detective's eye caught the fact that her friend's wine glass had suddenly disappeared.

"I'm glad you're here." Maura replied, taking a step closer as she gazed up at the brunette through long lashes.

Jane found the blonde's proximity entirely too distracting, she took a deep breath. "Me too." She explained, "I arrived just in time to save you from a smack on the lips from my brother."

Maura's eyes lifted to take in the mistletoe above their heads. "A kiss under the mistletoe is tradition..." she trailed off for a moment before adding, "...you volunteered to take his place?" the question was asked innocently, but Jane had realized a long time ago that Maura Isles wasn't as innocent as she appeared. She wondered if Maura had planned this...if she had chosen this spot on purpose.

Before she could muster the courage to ask, Maura's lips pressed against hers. She gasped at the contact, at the heat of the blonde's lips on her own. The kiss intensified as Maura's body pinned hers against the door frame. Jane kissed her back hungrily until the blonde pulled away. They panted against each other for long moments, neither saying a word.

Jane cupped the blonde's cheek, staring into her beautiful eyes. "How long have you wanted to do that?" she asked, hoping the answer was 'a very long time'.

"Over thirteen months." Maura replied, licking her lips.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Jane whispered.

Maura's gaze turned watery as she pulled away a little, "I couldn't risk losing the most important person in my life."

Jane smiled and kissed her forehead, "Well I haven't exactly been subtle in my attraction to you."

"I couldn't tell conclusively, without further proof." Maura replied, leaning into the brunette's touch.

"So you stood under the mistletoe." Jane added, realizing that she was right after all; Maura had planned their moment under the mistletoe from the beginning.

The blonde nodded in response, turning her head slightly so she was able to kiss the detective's palm.

Jane couldn't smother her grin as she dug into her pocket; the perfect moment had finally arrived."I have a present for you." She announced shyly, as her fingers clutched the tiny black box and pulled it free from her slacks.

"I left your gift at home, I thought we were exchanging presents tomorrow." Maura frowned, she hated being unprepared.

Jane put the black velvet ring box in Maura's palm. "We are. Those gifts are between us as friends. This gift is for my beloved." She clarified softly before pulling her into a sweet kiss. The kiss ended after a brief moment as the blonde's attention was drawn towards her gift.

A tear escaped Maura's eye, drifting slowly down her cheek as she opened the box. "It's a Claddagh ring." Jane added. She waited for her friend to react, to spout off some randomly known facts about the ring and its heritage but the medical examiner simply starred at it. "Do you know what it means?" the brunette asked, stroking the soft cheek cupped in her palm.

Maura shook her head in response, her eyes locked on the ring.

Jane kissed the stray tear away before responding, "It's a traditional Irish ring, named after the fishing village it was first created in. The elements of the ring symbolize three different qualities. The heart symbolizes love, the hands friendship and the crown demonstrates loyalty. " Jane took a deep fortifying breath, "I wanted to give this to you Maura, for so long because along with my friendship and loyalty, you've also captured my heart."

Maura's eyes rose from the ring to her friend's warm brown eyes. She couldn't stop the tears that fell unbidden down her cheeks as she pressed her hand over Jane's heart. The strong steady beat of it comforted the blonde immensely. She knew that Jane had a dangerous job, that no matter how great a detective she was the tables could turn in a heartbeat and the criminals could win. Maura knew better than most how little an exertion of force it took to end a human life. "I'll treasure it always, Jane." She replied, immediately liberating the jewelery from its box and slipped it on to her ring finger.

Jane leaned into the blonde, nuzzling her hair out of the way before whispering into her ear, "You make me so happy..."

Maura pressed herself against her friend, finding such comfort in the warm length of Jane's body pressed against her. "You make me happier than I ever dreamed possible." She replied, "I've always wanted to be yours Jane, from the moment we met. Your friend, your lover, your beloved..." The blonde bit her lip before she went any further, wife and soul mate were next on her list but she worried about pushing things too far too quickly. Logically speaking Jane hadn't declared her undying love. All Maura knew for sure was that she made Jane happy, that the brunette was attracted to her, gave her jewelery and used the term of endearment "beloved".

Beloved meant dearly loved, but Maura worried that the romantic notions of love that had swirled around her head and heart where not in line with what the brunette detective meant by the term. Perhaps Jane simply wanted a more physical aspect to their friendship...or maybe she wanted a long term romantic loving relationship. Maura couldn't tell from the evidence presented to her and although she was desperate to find out she didn't want to ruin the tiny bubble of intimacy they had created for themselves by asking. So she said nothing further and waited for Jane to make the next move.

Maura's words boosted Jane's confidence, knowing that Maura felt the same way that she did made the brunette's heart soar and her libido kick into overdrive. Jane's hand trailed from Maura's cheek to barely ghost over the fabric stretched across her chest, moving downward, caressing expertly down her side until it cupped her hip. The brunette's other hand pressed against Maura's lower back, effectively pulling the blonde flush against her. Maura bit her lip to keep from moaning, the warmth of Jane's body became searing as every inch of them pressed intimately against one another. Hungrily lips kissed up and down her neck, leaving the blonde shivering in pleasure as Jane whispered throatily in her ear, "I think I deserve something in return for my gift." Jane's tongue traced the ridge of Maura's ear before adding, "Are you wearing the mistletoe lingerie?"

Maura realized her eyes had slipped closed at the contact and every other sense she possessed was thoroughly overwhelmed by the woman in her arms. She struggled to open her eyes and answer the question, wanting to see Jane's reaction to her answer. Her eyes locked on Jane's immediately, each of them lost in each others gaze until Maura finally answered, with a breathy, "Yes."

"I want to see it." Jane murmured her voice incredibly husky. Maura couldn't contain a moan as the brunette continued, "I want to kiss every sprig of mistletoe covering your gorgeous body, then I'm going to worship every inch of you; my lips, teeth, tongue and fingers will know every secret your body possesses Maura and you will scream my name until you can't remember anything else."

Maura felt her knees get incredibly weak and her eyes roll back into her head. Just the thought of Jane doing those things to her was enough to make her fall to the floor in a sexually charged heap. But the brunette's grip never wavered. She nipped the doctor's ear to regain the blonde's focus as she asked her a loaded question, "Would you like that, honey?"

"Yes...oh yes." Maura responded immediately, surprised at how rough and needy her voice sounded as it filled the tiny space between them.

"Then that is enough of a gift, trust me." Jane replied, pulling away as she heard her mother's piercing voice calling them.

She tugged a dazed Maura towards the dining room, just a few hours of good food and family and then she was dragging the gorgeous blonde to the nearest bed and unwrapping her Christmas present.

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**Remember what Maura would say..."Reviews are like a finely tailored Chanel suit, they never go out of style."**


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